Bardstown Bourbon faces gender discrimination lawsuit
A former executive of Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBC) has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the firm alleging gender discrimination and improper conduct.
Bardstown Bourbon Company and its parent firm, Lofted Spirits, are part of Pritzker Private Capital (PPC), which is owned by Illinois governor JB Pritzker and Anthony N Pritzker.
In the lawsuit, filed in Nelson County on 13 February, the company’s former vice-president of human resources, Sylvia E Sanders, accuses Lofted Spirits CEO Mark Erwin, BBC president Peter Marino, PPC Investment Partners, and PPC operating partner Christian Brickman of alleged gender discrimination and retaliation.
Sanders claims the company created a hostile work environment for female employees and others.
In a statement released by Bardstown Distillery last week, a spokesperson said: “We believe these claims are without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves.”
According to the complaint, Sanders alleges she was fired from her position in May 2024 after she reported “illegal, unethical, discriminatory and improper conduct” by the defendants.
The lawsuit elaborates that Sanders reported “widespread discriminatory animus and slurs; improper protected classification jokes and commentary; blatant racism, ageism and sexist/gender bias; illegal identity-based decision-making; employees arriving, or becoming, while working, under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and not being properly disciplined or addressed by supervisors; falsification of mandatory occupational health, and incident-related documentation and regulatory mandated reporting; theft of company product; a hit-and-run alcohol-related accident; omission of human resources altogether from mandatory reporting and/or engagement under BBC and Pritzker Policies and Procedures; and employees, including underaged employees, being served the corporate group’s alcohol during work hours including encouraging underage drinking.”
All of this, Sanders claims, was reported in a lengthy memo to Erwin, in which she outlined the incidents. She was fired weeks later after previously receiving only exemplary reviews, according to the lawsuit.
Sanders allegedly escalated her concerns to Christian Brickman at PPC in May 2024, but according to James M Morris, Sanders’ attorney, she was dismissed and escorted from the company premises days later.
She had held her position at BBC for five years and was responsible for its affiliates, including Green River Distilling in Owensboro.
“This case is about corporate accountability at the highest levels,” said Morris. “Our client was the vice-president of human resources – the person charged with protecting employees and ensuring legal compliance.
“When she reported systemic discrimination, retaliation and potential regulatory violations, she was silenced and removed. No company – regardless of private equity ownership or political connections – is above Kentucky law.”
The filing seeks compensatory damages, lost wages, lost equity interest, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and a jury trial.
The Spirits Business has reached out to BBC for further comment.
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